Switching device and circulfarrangement for electrically-propelled vehicles



(No Model.) l

E. B. W. REICHEL. SWITCHING DEVICE AND CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT FOR ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED VEHICLES.

No. 605.013. A Patented May 31,1898.

1 UNrrn STATES PATENT rincga EMIL-BERTHOLD vAt'rnnnniolint; on BERL N, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR it THE SIEMENS & IIALSKE ELECTRIC OOMPAN You AlilERlCA, ()liiHIIUAGO;

, ILLINOIS.

SWiTCHlNGDEVlCl-I'AND cmcuufnmuermrui FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES.-

SPE'CIFICATIOR forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,013, dated May 31, 1898.

tau-man filed Jauucry10,1898- Serial No. 666,136 a mum To dll wh oml it may COIMJCIIL:

Be it known that I, EMIL llnn'rnonn WAL- TER REICHEL, a subject of the Emperor T, I I Germany, re'sidmgat Berlin, Germany, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Switching Devices and Circuit Ari-an 'ements for Electrically-Propelled Vehicles, Ease No.

' 124,) of which the following isa specification, reference being had to the accompanying 'I0 drawings forming a part of this specification. My invention relates to improvements in an automatic switching device and circuit arrangement for electrically-propelled vehicles,

and has for its object the provision of means p for: obtaining greater security in the operation of such vehicles; While making the severalcircuit-changes practically automatic.

My invention will be described in connection with an electric vehicle provided. with 2o storage batteries which may beutilized either I for power purposes, for lighting the car, or for both'purposes combined, and which may be charged, preferably, from the main circuit or. source of supply during the operati'dn: of the ivehicle. My invention may bev briefly'describd as consistingin providing switching inecliahism actuated by the trolley-arm or contactde'vicc a of the vehiele,--whereby the several circuitchanges necessary'to secure the operation of v the vehicle under its cliiferent conditions are wattained by the engagement of the trolleyarm with the trolley-conductor or its release "therefrom and withdrawal to a normal positionof rest.

My invention also contemplates the circuit arrangement of a car whereby a storage bat- 'tery 'may be connected in circuit alternately to be charged or discharge itself through suitable translatingdeviees, according'to the operative condition-- of said car.

My said invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,.wherein-" .trolley-arm with its connected contacts and the several circuits of the car, the trolleybei'ng shown imposition for deriving power from the main source of supply. Fig. ;2 is a Figure lidiagrammatically illustiiatcs the 7 letters of reference in each of said figures of the drawings.

'he main dynamo or source oi: electrical energy a vis connected with the trolley-conductor-b of the system and with the earth in p the usual manner. The trolley-arm c is provided with any suitable contact device and is adapted normally to engage the trolleyconductor 11 and convey current to the several circuits of the car. Upon the arm and electrically connected therewith is provided -a segmental contact (Z, centrallyrecessed at ('1'. Contacts (2, electrically connected, are also provided upon saidtrolley-arm, but are insulated therefrom and lie without the plane of contact (l. A springfis mounted upon the trolley-support or in other suitable position upon the car and is adapted to engage the surface of the contact part (Z when the trolley-arm is in engagement with trolley-conductor 1). Connected with the springf'are conductors g and 1', respectively lear-ling to the contact jof a switchj and to the lamp- 8o circuit of the car. Conductor 7 is maintained in permanent connection with the trolley-arm and extends also to a sccondcontact j of said switch. The switch j. is diagrammatically illustrated as being provided with circuit-terminalsf j", respectively connected with a motor-circuit -,ol the car and with aconduetorp,leading to the positive terminal of the storage batteries or accu-mula-- tors in, which are provided with a ground on connection. The contact-arms of the said switch j are adapt-ed to connect tornrinalj" either with contact orj' the latter contact being in turn connected wi'tlrcircuittcrniinal j, while the other contact-arm offs-aid switch 5 'FlOlll the positive terminal oi'wtho iii-cumulators a conductor l extends to contact is of the trolley switching device, and a second contact k of said switching device is com nected by means of conductor l with. thelamp-circuit n of the car beyond the resistancc or a secondary group of lamps o, conneeted in circuit with conductor i, thus being adaptcdto short-circuit said resistance 0 when current is llowing through said conductor l. The lamp-circuit is also provided with a ground-contact. When the trolleyarm is in engagement with the trolley-cond nctor, the springfbeing in en agement with the contact (I, circuit is established through conductors g and h to the switch j and through conductor 2' and the resistance 0 to the lamp-circuit of said car. The circuit is closed between terminal j and contact j, which permits the actuatingcurrent to flow through a conductor A, controller A, and motor 13 of said car. If the accumulator is to he charged, the circuit is also closed between terminal j" and contacty, when current will flow through conductor 1) to the positive terminal of the accumulator, charging the cells thereof, and thence to earth.

it will thus be seen that three paths may be provided for the current from the main conductor b-viz., through the motor-circuit, the accuniulator-eircuit, and through a resistanee and the lamp-circuit to ground. llenceby means of auxiliary switching devices the current may be connected with the several-translating devices of the car. As far as possible inthe operation thereof the storage batteries will of course be maintained charged at their maximum capacity.

\Vhen the car leaves the section or road provided with the trolley-conductor, the trolley-arm through the medium of its iinpellingspring will be forced to an upright position, thus at once disengaging the spring from contact at, provided thereon. This serves to open all the circuits of the car, and should the accumulator at that time be connected in circuit through the switch j its circuit will be opened at the trolley switching device. If it is now desired to actuate the car by means of the storage battery-as, for instance, when said car is designed to travel over an outlying line or within a business district where trolley-conductors are objectionablethe trolley-arm will be drawn down to its normal or horizontal position of rest upon the roof of the car. This will serve to engage one or the other of the contact-pieces c-with the contacts 7a 7a" of the switching device. Switch j is thrown, closing the circuitbetween terminal j and contact j, or, in other words, short-circuiting the terminals j j of said switch and opening the circuit at j.

. The circuit is also broken between terminal j and contact j, thus entirely disconnecting thetrolley switching-contacts from the accumulator.-

It will be seen that the storage batteries are new electrically connected with the controller and motorcircui-t of said car through conductorp, switch j, and conductor A. Moreover, the lamp-circuit ot' the car is closed through conductor Z, contacts /.r c In, conductor l, and thence through thelamps to earth, the resistance n being short-circuiicd. Thus the useless expenditure of the battery energy in overcoming this resistance is avoided. The car may now be operated as an automobile car, the limit oi its run being set only by the capacity of its accumulators, of which it is obvious one or more scisof batteries maybe carried, it found necessary. The motor circuit, it' desired, may be automatically closed by the forward contact 0, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 23. t

It will be seen that the trolley-arm and its connected contacts (1 are wholly insulated from the actuating-currentemanating from the accumulatoi and also that the separate circuits niaybc controlled as before, as when current is derived from the main source of power a. Thus all danger of establishing accidental grounds through the medium of: these parts is avoided.

With the circuit arrangement herewith shown and described the car is adapted to b readily actuated according to the improved "lllO-illOtl above referred to, the requirements of the system being capable of numerous alterations to meet the conditions of work imposed. I do not therefore desire to be understood as limiting the application of my invention to the precise devices or circuit arrangements herein diagrammatically illustrated; but

.Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by these Letters Patent, is-

1. In a trolley switching device, the combination with the trolley-arm c, contact-piece d electrically connected with and actuated by said trolley-arm, and contaizt part f adapted to be electrically engaged by said contactpicce only when the trolley-arm is in engage ment with the trolley-conductor, substantially as described.

In a trolley switching device, the combination with the trolley-arm c, contact-piece d electrically con nected with and actuated by said trolley-arm, contact part f adapted to be electrically engaged by said contact-piece only when the trolley-arm is in engagement with the trolley-conductor, and contact 6 also actuated by the trolley-arm and adapted. to close a second circuit'when said. trolley-arm is in a position-0f rest, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a trolley-arm for electrically-propelled vehicles, c'fa. conductor connected with said trolley-arm having included therein suitable circuit controlling apparatus extending to the motor of said vehicle, a contact part connected with a secondary circuit of said vehicle, and a contactpiece actuated by said trolley-arm to en gage 1 the contact part only when the t-rolley arm is in engagement withuthe trolley-condhctor, substantially as described.

4. In an electrically-actuated vehicle, the

combination with a trolley-arm adapted to engage the trolley-conductor, of a motor-circuit connected therewitli,'alamp-circuit and an accumulator, a contact part connected therewith, and a contact-piece actuated by thetrolley-arm to moveinto engagement with said contact part when the said trolley-arm is connected with the trolley-conductor, substantiall y as described.

V 5. In an electrically-actuated vehicle, the geombination with a trolley-arm. adapted toengage the trolley-conductor,, of a motor-circuit connected therewitln a lamp-circuit and an accumulator, a contact part connected therewitln'a contact-piece actuated by the trolley-arm to move into engagement with said contact partwhen the said trolley-arm is connected with the trolley-conductor, a switch j adapted to connect said accumulator with the motor-circuit, and a contact 6 actuatedto close the accumulator-circuit bythe 25 movement of the trolley-arm to its position .of rest, substantially as described.

6. The herein-described circuitarrange ment' for electrically-actuated yehicles, 'consisting of motor, accumulator and lamp'cir- 3o.

cuits, a switching or trolley armadapte'd to be connected with an external source of,

power and the motor-circuit, a contact-piece connected therewith, a contact part. adapted to beengaged by the contact-piece and in 35 sure the electrical continuity of the remain-' ing circuits when said arm is connected with the source of power, a switch 7' controlling these two circuits, and a contact part e actuated by saidswitohing-a'rm to close the lampcircuit when said armis in a position of rest, substantially as described.

7 In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n the presence of two Witnesses.

EMIL BERTHOLDJWALTER REICHEL I Witnesses:

CHARLES H. DAY, HENRY HASPER. 

